Consorting Constant
by haunted-eternity
Summary: Catherine gets a call from an unexpected person.


Spoilers for the Lady Heather episode and Warrick's death. Its just a one shot my muse wouldnt let go of. My first published CSI ficlet.

Disclaimer: I do not own them.

* * *

She had just sat down at her desk as her cell phone rang.

"Willows" she answered into the phone.

"Catherine Willows?" the voice asked.

"Yes" Catherine replied hesitantly, "who's this?"

"It's Heather, from Lady Heather's Dominion" Heather said slowly and softly.

"I know who you are. Why are you calling me? Is there something that's happened?" she asked, getting up out of her chair.

"It's about Grissom" Heather replied, "he is here at the dominion, something is off about him, and I know you two are close."

Catherine scoffed at that, and grabbed her keys off her table, "I'll be there in 15 minutes" she replied, heading out her office door.

"Thank you" Heather replied, not waiting for Catherine's reply, hanging up.

Catherine shook her head as she walked down the lab corridor, seeing Nick in the lounge she popped her head in.

"I'm going out for a while; you're on point with Grissom gone."

Nick nodded, "thanks Cath" he replied, tucking back into his breakfast.

She headed out the door and into her Denali, wondering what Grissom had been doing at Heather's this whole time as she pulled out of the parking lot.

--

Pulling up to the mansion, Catherine sat in the vehicle, gathering up the nerves to face the woman and her boss.

She had always seen Lady Heather as both competition and a friend, knowing they each had a strong personality and Grissom in common. She never did find out if anything was going on between them though, her naïve side hoped for nothing, while the other side, the rational one, knew that something could have gone on without her knowledge. It was like his whole relationship with Sara, she's glad that is finally over though.

Walking up to the door, she sucked in a breath and rang the bell, hoping her confidant outside would fool the dominatrix.

--

"Catherine, welcome" Heather said as she pulled open the door.

Catherine nodded hello and got straight to the point.

"Where is he?" she questioned, her eyes taking a path up the stairs.

Heather smiled knowingly at her, "he is in my room" she replied without emotion, "let me show you."

Heather turned up the stairs, Catherine following blindly, trying to process the information quickly.

As they got to Heather's door, they paused, and Heather turned towards Catherine.

"Nothing happened between us" she replied, searching the blue eyes of the woman in front of her.

"It's none of my business" Catherine replied.

"Your words say that, but your heart is relieved. I know all about matters of the heart Catherine" she said, her tone taking on a more heartfelt message.

Catherine didn't know what to say, so she stood there in silence, staring at the door behind Heather's shoulder.

"You both understand each other on a level most humans do not acquire. I could see that the first time I met with you all those years ago" Heather said, moving her head in line with Catherine's eyes. "He needs that connection back; it is what kept him grounded all those years ago. He is emotional right now, with everything in his life, he needs the constant presence in his life back" she said moving to open the door.

Catherine blindly nodded her head and stepped into the room. Hearing the door close behind her, she took a step forward, and stopped to rest on his form.

He was lying in the bed, facing away from the door. He had on a tacky bowling shirt that she was sure Sara gave him, _only a person with horrible taste would ever give someone a shirt like that_, she thought. Though she couldn't fault Sara, they did have the same taste in men, namely Gil Grissom.

"I can hear you thinking Cath" he said quietly.

She was surprised, sure that he was asleep, but moved forward towards the bed.

"How'd you know it was me" she asked him.

He rolled over towards the door, towards her, and answered, "I can always tell."

She smiled a bit, it was almost like the old days, but the smile then dropped as she realized the old days were over.

"Why" she asked him, standing at the foot of the bed now.

"Why what?" he questioned her, sitting up and smoothing out his shirt.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I… I don't know" he replied, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Bull" she said, putting a hand on her hip, "that's crap. You know it, and I know it."

Grissom stared at her; she was always the bold one in their relationship.

"What do you mean Catherine?" he asked, getting a confused look in his eye.

"You know exactly why you are here Gil. You don't do things on a whim. You aren't Nick or Greg; you have a process and reason for every little thing damn it. Why are you here" she asked, her voice rising as she got further in to her question.

"I thought" he paused, "I thought she could help me rationalize everything" he said, getting up off the bed.

"What would you need to rationalize? Warrick dying? Because you sure as hell haven't mentioned or done anything with that. Sara leaving? What did you want rationalized Gil?"

"Warrick, Sara, my relationship with you. She has a clear viewpoint Catherine, she understands me" he said to her, looking down at the sheets.

"Nice, real nice Gil" she threw her words at him.

He looked up, confused at why she was getting angry at him.

"Why are you so upset Catherine?" he questioned her, looking up into her eyes.

She took a breath and released it before speaking.

"We used to be friends Gil, best friends even. Then, it changed. I don't know why, we drifted, but then you shut me out. You shut everyone out, and that hurts. It hurts a lot more than you know" she started, he was about to reply when she held a hand out to stop him, "wait, don't speak, just listen. You hid your relationship with Sara, and then she breaks up with you, or you break up with her, I'm not really sure at this point, but you are done. And Warrick, God, what haven't you done wrong. You shut me out Gil. You haven't even gone to a damn shrink yet. You know how much I hate them, and I've been. You used to tell me things Gil, now, well now you talk to Ecklie more than me" she said, holding back the tears.

He started to walk towards her, "I'm sorry Catherine. I really am."

"No, apologies are just words" she said, holding out her arm and keeping him away from her.

"I've heard that line before, surprisingly" he tried to lighten the mood.

"Heather" she stated.

He nodded.

"Fine, if you won't take an apology, then listen" he said. "I couldn't make a decision with Sara, so she left. Asked me not to worry about her in a video, I have been emotional over it, I admit that. But I know how much you guys didn't approve, so I didn't want to bother you. With Warrick's death, it hasn't sunk in yet. I'm still in denial, rationally I know he is gone and never coming back. But there are some days when I still think he is going to come walking through those lab doors, harassing Nicky or Greg about something they did that weekend" he said slowly, looking to the ground, to the bed, anywhere but her.

"And I didn't mean to shut you out Catherine, I didn't. I don't want to have an emotional hold over you, you have too much in your life right now, too much tragedy and I didn't want to add to that baggage you already carry" he said, looking at the floor near her feet.

Tears had run down her face, surprised that he was actually letting her in now. Maybe Lady Heather was right after all, she thought.

"Gil" she said, receiving no response she tried again, this time louder, "Gil."

He looked up at her, unshed tears in his eyes.

"You're not a burden" she said, coming closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He breathed in the scent of her as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Burying his head in the long strands of golden and auburn hair.

"Thank you Catherine" he said quietly.

"For what" she breathed against the side of his neck, her breath sending goose bumps all around him.

"For being there when I need you, even when I think I don't" he said, squeezing her tightly and then pulling back.

She looked into his eyes, and saw what he wasn't saying aloud.

"You're welcome Gil" she replied, kissing his cheek softly.

He felt her soft lips against his skin and felt her giggle as she pulled back, no doubt from his beard scratching at the soft skin.

When she pulled back, he caught her eyes, and they stood frozen to their spot, staring at each other.

He moved first, capturing her chin with his fingers, his calloused hands creating friction against the soft, pale skin.

Moving himself closer, he pulled his head down ever so slightly and kissed her softly.

His lips brushed against hers, and her mouth moved accordingly, acting on its own, her tongue demanded permission to enter his mouth, running roughly against his lips. He opened his mouth and her tongue delved in, caressing the inside, tasting the tea he had recently drunk.

His tongue moved against hers, now fighting for dominance, and she won out. She pulled back as oxygen became necessary.

"We shouldn't be doing this" she replied, resting her forehead against his.

She felt him shake his head, "no we shouldn't."

"You're on the rebound and emotional" she tried to reason, his hand fingering the waistband of her slacks.

"I'm emotional, but not on the rebound. I've wanted this for years Catherine" he said, pulling her lower lip into his mouth with his teeth, gently biting it with his teeth and then releasing it, hoping to show her how much he wanted this.

"Yes, you are" she whispered, closing her eyes. "I've waited for the moment Gil. Believe me, I have, but it's too soon. We need to wait, we've waited 9 years for this, what are a couple more weeks" she asked, opening her eyes and watching for his reaction.

He nodded his head, "you're right, you're right. What's another couple weeks right?" he said.

"So we're in agreement" she said seriously.

"Yes" he whispered, a kissed her chastely against the lips.

"Okay" she said, pulling away from him. "Are you ready to go back to the lab now, or your house?" she questioned.

"Can we go to yours?" he asked, "I can make you an omelet" he said, knowing how they used to finish off shifts like that back in the old days.

She smiled, and couldn't resist the offer of his omelets, "fine" she replied, and headed to the door.

He followed behind her, and he felt someone watching them as they headed for her Denali.

As he looked up, he saw Heather, standing in the window, overlooking her dominion, knowing it was her who made the call to Catherine, he gave a slight nod as he hopped in the SUV.

Catherine looked at him as she tuned the car on, "you ready" she asked, looking at him watching the place.

"Yeah" he said, "let's go crack some eggs."

--

Fin.


End file.
